Coffee Talk For The Regular Joe

At one point or another, we have all taken a liking to caffeine and coffee in particular. I managed to avoid a dependency on caffeine even while I was at school... but at a previous job, not a day would go by when I would not have my regular double cappuccino.

talk amongst yourselves

In the US, for the longest time, coffee was widely perceived as a necessary evil: a thick, grimy liquid that would wake you up like a bolt of lightning and go down smooth, well, not as smooth as butter.

With time though, Americans' tastes began to shift increasingly towards quality over quantity. Specialty coffee shops began to be crowded with big chain "quality" places like Starbucks. Some attributed this to the fast-paced lifestyles, others to people's increasingly large discretionary incomes — whatever it was, coffee was becoming more and more of a treat and less of a necessity to get through the day.

Whatever it was, coffee is now a billion-dollar industry as coffee shops are popping up everywhere.

The coffee process can be broken into 3 main steps: the beans, the machine and the types.

bean here, bean there

The quest for the perfect cup of joe begins with choosing the right coffee beans. The first question people ask is why I suggest to get coffee beans over ground coffee. The reason is simple: grinding your beans right before making coffee ensures a richer texture and flavor.

Coffee beans fall under two main types: arabica and robusta. The former is by far the higher quality coffee bean while the latter is a far more industrious plant, as it tends to produce higher quantities of beans as well as grow at lower altitudes. Unless you wish to get your guests out of the house ASAP, I strongly recommend arabica beans.

Arabica This is considered the Cadillac of coffee. The expensive price would reinforce this as well. Arabica beans usually grow at higher altitudes, and as a result are much more flavorful, rich and aromatic. They also have surprisingly lower levels of caffeine and acidity.

Robusta Also called canephora, robusta coffee bean trees are rigid and can sustain the harsher temperatures better than most trees. Connoisseurs rate robusta beans less rich and aromatic than arabica beans and as a result, they usually cost less. Robusta includes most coffee beans from Africa as well as some Asian countries.

you're roast

While you are at it, you might as well note that coffee beans should not be bought more than a week after having been roasted. Again, specialty coffee shops know this; the 7/11 down the street may not.

In all stores, beans must be hidden from light and air to protect their quality and freshness.